Method and computer-readable medium for managing roaming restrictions in a wireless environment

Abstract

A method and computer-readable medium for controlling roaming restrictions for dispatch calling of a mobile station in a network are provided. A home location register receives a dispatch application processor identifier and a mobile station identifier. The domain in which the dispatch application processor is located may be determined by the home location register, based upon the dispatch application processor identifier. A determination can be made whether the mobile station is authorized to operate in the domain, based upon the mobile station identifier. If the mobile station is not authorized to operate in the domain, the mobile station is prevented from operating in the domain. On the other hand, if the mobile station is authorized to operate in the domain, the operation of the mobile station may be allowed, but restricted to certain predetermined calling features.

1. A method for controlling roaming restrictions for dispatch calling of a mobile station in a network, comprising the acts of:
 receiving at a home location register of the mobile station a dispatch processor identifier identifying a dispatch application processor that supports a plurality of mobile stations for dispatch calling, and a mobile station identifier that identifies the mobile station; 
 determining at the home location register a domain of the dispatch application processor based upon the dispatch processor identifier by accessing data stored in the home location register which is sent to the home location register during an enhanced global title translation table tool (EGT4) distribution process; 
 determining at the home location register whether the mobile station is authorized to operate in the domain, based upon the mobile station identifier; 
 sending from the home location register to the dispatch application processor subscriber data including calling features of the mobile station which are restricted in the domain; 
 preventing at the dispatch application processor the mobile station from operating in the domain, if the mobile station is not authorized to operate in the domain; and 
 restricting at the dispatch application processor calling features available to the mobile station based on the subscriber data and the mobile station identifier, if the mobile station is authorized to operate in the domain. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the calling features comprise at least one of encrypted private calling, private call service, cross fleet service, call alert service, group call service, emergency service, packet data service, and individual dispatch long distance calling. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the domain comprises one of a foreign network as a whole, a specific geographical area of the foreign network, and a specific geographical area of a home network. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the foreign network comprises a wireless network disposed in a country other than a home country of the mobile station. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the home network comprises a wireless network in a home country of the mobile station. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the home location register is disposed in a foreign network. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the foreign network comprises a wireless network disposed in a country other than a home country of the mobile station. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dispatch processor identifier is an ISDN address. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the mobile station identifier is an international mobile subscriber identifier address. 
     
     
       10. A method for controlling roaming restrictions for dispatch calling of a mobile station in a network, comprising the acts of:
 receiving at a home location register of the mobile station a dispatch processor identifier identifying a dispatch application processor that supports a plurality of mobile stations for dispatch calling, and a mobile station identifier that identifies the mobile station; 
 determining at the home location register a domain of the dispatch application processor based upon the dispatch application processor identifier; 
 determining at the home location register whether the mobile station is authorized to operate in the domain, based upon the mobile station identifier by accessing data stored in the home location register which is sent to the home location register during an enhanced global title translation table tool (EGT4) distribution process; and 
 restricting at the dispatch application processor calling features available to the mobile station, based upon the mobile station identifier, if the mobile station is authorized to operate in the domain. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the calling features comprise at least one of encrypted private calling, private call service, cross fleet service, call alert service, group call service, emergency service, packet data service, and individual dispatch long distance calling. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the domain comprises one of a foreign network as a whole, a specific geographical area of the foreign network, and a specific geographical area of a home network. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the foreign network comprises a wireless network disposed in a country other than a home country of the mobile station. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the home network comprises a wireless network in a home country of the mobile station. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the home location register is disposed in a foreign network. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the foreign network comprises a wireless network disposed in a country other than a home country of the mobile station. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the foreign network comprises a wireless network disposed in a geographic area other than a home area of the mobile station. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the dispatch processor identifier is an ISDN address. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the mobile station identifier is an international mobile subscriber identifier address. 
     
     
       20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program for controlling roaming restrictions for dispatch calling of a mobile station in a network, the computer program comprising instructions for:
 receiving at a home location register of the mobile station a dispatch processor identifier identifying a dispatch application processor that supports a plurality of mobile stations for dispatch calling, and a mobile station identifier that identifies the mobile station; 
 determining at the home location register a domain of the dispatch application processor based upon the dispatch processor identifier by accessing data stored in the home location register which is sent to the home location register during an enhanced global title translation table tool (EGT4) distribution process; 
 determining at the home location register whether the mobile station is authorized to operate in the domain, based upon the mobile station identifier; 
 sending from the home location register to the dispatch application processor subscriber data including calling features of the mobile station which are restricted in the domain; 
 preventing at the dispatch application processor the mobile station from operating in the domain, if the mobile station is not authorized to operate in the domain; and 
 restricting at the dispatch application processor calling features available to the mobile station based on the subscriber data and the mobile station identifier, if the mobile station is authorized to operate in the domain. 
 
     
     
       21. The computer-readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the dispatch processor identifier is an ISDN address. 
     
     
       22. The computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the mobile station identifier is an international mobile subscriber identifier address.